Woman with ADHD in a field wearing a hat. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder therapy. Counselor for ADHD.

Because ADHD presents differently in girls than in boys, many young women grow up without ever understanding the impact ADHD has on them. At the same time, women are nearly twice as likely to suffer from anxiety than men at some point in their lives. As a result, many women end up working themselves to exhaustion trying to keep up with expectations, without understanding the underlying forces holding them back.

Today’s article will explore the unique relationship between ADHD & anxiety in women.

ADHD, Anxiety, and Hormones

First things first, let’s talk about hormones. Sex hormones like estrogen and progesterone have a dramatic effect on mood and brain function. While men experience a steady decline in testosterone over the course of their lives, women’s production of sex hormones varies throughout their menstrual cycle. Women with ADHD and anxiety often report symptoms of both are much worse in the days leading up to their period.

Because this feature of ADHD and anxiety isn’t well understood, many women may write those symptoms off as the product of an off week. To make up for it, they put in extra time at work or stay up late to take care of chores at home. The net result is that when their energy levels are high, and their anxiety levels are low, many are rock stars who put in more than their fair share. When their ADHD & anxiety flare up, insecurities about their performance and abilities kick in.

ADHD: Fuel for Anxiety

Women often experience three major symptoms of ADHD:

  • Inability to Focus
  • Forgetfulness
  • Demand Delay

Anxiety loves an unfinished task. It feeds on it. It delights in our desire to procrastinate, put things off, or lose track of time. When your ADHD kicks into high gear, and you’re sitting in bed folding laundry, it’s easy to lose track of time and forget to make dinner for the kids. Maybe you’ve got a deadline tomorrow, but the book club is so good, and you just can’t bring yourself to put it down.

ADHD sets up a five-course feast for anxiety to chow down on.

A stressed woman laying on the floor with her hands over her face. ADHD & anxiety in women. Treatment in NC for adhd.

Social Expectations

It’s no secret that there’s a huge disparity in the delineation of household chores between men and women. Across the board, women report that the burden of running the household falls disproportionately on them. What this means is that women with ADHD often experience worse anxiety because they have more tasks to worry about. Whatever pressures they face at work are exacerbated by the pressures they face at home. Juggling those responsibilities with undiagnosed ADHD can be a monumental effort.

But there’s another, less obvious edge to the social expectations that come with womanhood. Women are expected to maintain their appearance, be present and attentive mothers, and keep their work-life balance perfectly in check. When they focus on work, anxiety feeds on their worries about things at home. When they call out to take care of a sick baby, it reminds them how far behind they’re falling at the office.

ADHD likes anxiety because anxiety tosses up worries that serve as distractions. In the same way ADHD fuels anxiety, anxiety makes sure that ADHD is never bored.

Managing the Storm

Some percentage of the flare-ups in ADHD and anxiety in women is triggered by changes in hormone levels. Being aware of those rhythms can help you manage both when they pop up. Making sure deadlines are finished before the second half of your cycle deprives anxiety of juicy morsels to worry over. Scheduling things out well in advance helps limit ADHD’s tendency to derail plans with distractions.

Counseling

If you’re interested in learning more about the relationship between ADHD & anxiety in women, please don’t hesitate to reach out. You’ve been playing this game your whole life—I’d love to help you understand the rules. Together, we can build a plan for success.

A woman standing on a hill right before a storm begins looking anxious. Treatment for ADHD & anxiety in women. Teletherapy in North Carolina for ADHD.